Resort Report: Cayman Brac Beach Resort

It's like having a private island retreat and a personal scuba valet.

You'll stay at a boutique oceanfront property on a white sand beach, enjoy exclusive access a variety of world-class dive sites, and never have to lift a tank. This is why divers like the Cayman Brac Beach Resort.

The second-story deck at Cayman Brac Beach Resort takes in views of pool and ocean.

Located on the southwestern corner of Cayman Brac, this long-time favorite is the island's only dedicated dive resort. The airport is a chip shot away, and the reefs transition to walls a couple hundred yards from shore. The property remains family-owned and operated, and is fresh from a sweeping renovation that included updates to the 40 beach-view rooms, an expansion of the free-form pool and the addition of a two-story bar that becomes a favorite at happy hour and sunset. Rate plans can include three meals daily at the Palms Caribbean Restaurant, which earns high marks from guests for food quality and variety. Rooms have water-view patios or balconies and expected resort amenities such as individual climate control, room service and available childcare.

Though removed Cayman Brac Beach Resort is not remote. Guests have access to in-room cable television, international direct dial phones and property-wide WiFi. This connectivity provides peace of mind, but many guests prefer to tune out, with naps in hammocks slung between palm trees, walks on the pristine beach, or evening star gazing from a dock that is very far away from the lights of a town or the looming profile of a cruise ship. There is an on-site day spa, game room, gift boutique and fitness center. In addition to diving and snorkeling, resort activities include fishing, kayaking, tennis, volleyball, cycling, hiking, birding and island tours. Among the unique attractions of Cayman Brac are hidden caves and a towering 140-foot limestone bluff that can be climbed for sweeping island and ocean views. The resort staff also organizes a number of weekly events, from the movie and trivia nights to barbecues and crab races.

The Diving

Reef Divers operates a fleet of custom-built Newton Dive boats.

Reef Divers is located on the grounds of the resort. This full-service dive center takes pride in providing “valet diving service.” The staff provides turn-key handling and setup of dive gear, and guests need only show up with personal items and step aboard the shops fleet of modern dive boats. Currently, Reef Divers operates four custom-built Newton 46 boats and a Newton 42. These boats are built with seating for up to 36 but never carry more than 20 divers. Each features both shaded and sunny deck areas, a padded camera table, freshwater shower, ice water, fruit, snacks, and restroom facilities. All are equipped with a VHS radio, oxygen kits, AED kits, first aid equipment and US Coast Guard-approved safety equipment. Though currents are typically mild or non-existent, the boat crew always deploys a buoyed line and hangs an overboard regulator just in case divers need a little extra time during safety stops.

In addition to sites all around Cayman Brac, Reef Divers boats make the file-miles crossing to Little Cayman Island.

The island of Cayman Brac is ringed in dive sites. Typical profiles begin with nearshore sand slopes that transition to patch reefs and then higher-provide spur-and-groove coral formations riddled with valleys and sand chutes. There are some 50 dive sites around the island, including four shipwrecks; the most famous of the wrecks is the Captain Keith Tibbett’s Wreck, which is a 330-foot-long former Russian missile frigate. A unique addition to the Cayman Brac diving scene is the creation of the Lost City of Atlantis. This underwater sculpture garden is the work of a local artist, who has created dozens of original artworks from crushed rock, sand and cement, and placed these works in a sandy underwater plain on the island's north side. Reef Divers also makes regular trips to the nearby Island of Little Cayman, home to the famous sites of Bloody Bay Wall. Between the two islands, divers have more than 100 sites to explore, and one of the most idyllic beachfront settings in the Caribbean to return to at the end of the day.

The Captain Keith Tibbett’s Wreck is one of Cayman Brac's best-known dive sites.

Make it happen

Nassau grouper are often sighted on the walls of Cayman Brac.

We offer a range of packages at Cayman Brac Beach Resort that can include both morning and afternoon dives, meals, libations and additional amenities. To learn more, talk to our dive travel specialists at 800-330-6611or send us a note to sales@caradonna.com.